Manipulators, such as jointed-arm robots, in particular, are used for various work processes in, for example, assembly or production in the industrial environment. In addition, manipulators have applications in the field of medicine, in particular in the surgical field, for the performance of and assistance in operations, in particular in activities, which require a particularly precise manipulation of tools.
Manipulators can be mobile or employed at a fixed location. The manipulator is preferably a three-dimensional mobile jointed-arm robot, which is made up of several pivot joints and/or sliding joints. The pivot joints or sliding joints are usually connected to arm links, and every pivot joint or sliding joint is assigned a joint axis. A robot system comprises one or more manipulators, a control device and an input device. Robot systems are already known in surgery or interventional radiology, wherein the input devices are fixed to a control console. The relative alignment of the input devices is set and cannot be changed. This makes usage by the doctor difficult, as it negatively affects the freedom of movement and access to the patient.
In addition, systems are known in which a flexible catheter is pushed forwards and controlled by a robot. The input device is spatially separated from the robot in this system. The alignment of the input device is, in each case, relative to the top of the instrument, with the instrument being mounted at the end of the robot arm.
Finally, robot systems are known, in which input devices are installed spatially separated from the workplace of the manipulator, so-called telemanipulation systems. The input devices are fixed to a control console, with the alignment of the input devices being relative to a screen-presented and camera-supported, e.g. endoscopic, image display, the alignment of which relative to the manipulator or the manipulators of the robot system is set.
A common feature of all of the above-mentioned systems is that the input device is spatially separated from the manipulator, or the alignment of the input device relative to the manipulator to be operated is preset. This has the disadvantage that the alignment of the input devices during use, e.g. in an operation, cannot be easily changed. Although changing the position of the input device is conceivable, this would, however, also change the position of the input device relative to the manipulator, which would mean that the control of the robot system could no longer be realized intuitively. For example, the input devices are usually aligned with the manipulator to be operated such that a forwards movement, for example, of a joystick leads to a corresponding forwards movement of the manipulator in the same direction. If the input device is pivoted by, for example, 90°, this coupling, which is intuitively simple for the user, is no longer available.
Another disadvantage of the above-mentioned systems is that a simultaneous use of manual instruments or tools and robotically guided instruments or tools is not possible or is only possible with great difficulty, as the input device, for example, is not in the vicinity of the workplace of the manipulator, in particular an operating table, or the orientation of the input device cannot be adapted to the installation location.
In addition, the above-mentioned systems have the disadvantage that they offer no mode for gravity compensation or for sensitive manual guidance.
In view of the above-explained systems, the objective of the present invention is to provide a method and a system which allow simple alignment of a multiaxial manipulator with an input device. This allows the user of the robot system, in particular during a work process, e.g. an operation, to intraoperatively change the position or orientation of the input device, without having to sacrifice a control that is as intuitive as possible.
These and other objectives are achieved by means of the subject matter of the main claims.